Beautiful Destruction

A gorgeous Crepe Myrtle adorns our front yard. Set at the middle of our house, it makes a handsome centerpiece for maximum curb appeal.

However, My Lovely Wife and Life Partner Lois has recently voiced a desire to remove it. In her view, it had begun to take over. I usually take heed to her assessments in such issues, as she has a genuine knack for what looks good inside and outside our home.

But this was a pretty daunting project. The tree is about 20 feet tall and would require an abundance of time and/or money to take it down.

So I “put it on the list.” (Translated: I dragged my feet.)

With the confident knowledge I would get to it “eventually,” I got the call I didn’t see coming. Water had begun backing up in our tubs and showers. It seems the giant root system of our “beautiful” tree had destroyed our sewer line and created a brand new $3,500 problem, complete with ample hassles and headaches.

God talks about the devil as “an anointed cherub,” “perfect in beauty,” and “an angel of light.” Not exactly the horrifying looking creature we might conjure up in our minds. These images are attractive. Enticing. Pleasing to the eye.

But he also “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

Of course, not everything attractive will harm us, but be careful you don’t fall for the potential trap of surface beauty.

Beneath that charming exterior, there may be a catastrophic root system.

So, my perfect hindsight taught me a two-fold lesson that day:

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Listen to your wife.

“People look at the outward appearance. But the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7